Recommended Readings to deepen your understanding and help you get the most from the Webinar SeriesAvailable from Sagrada Bookstore- an independently owned bookstore in Oakland, California that also carries icons, postcards, statues, and other items of interest on Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalen: Myth and Metaphor by Susan Haskins -- A thoroughly well researched historical survey that forms the foundation for much of the past decade's scholarship. My favorite book for the left brain.

Searching for Mary Magdalene: A Journey Through Art, Jane Lahr -- An absolutely gorgeous "coffee table" book of images with excerpts of diverse texts about Mary Magdalene. Worth it for the art alone, but an excellent source for legends and poetry also. My favorite book by far for the right brain.

The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostleby Karen L. King--Postmodern analysis by eminent Harvard professor that focuses on the socio-political and gender clashes of the first few centuries

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, ed. Jean Yves LeLoup -- LeLoup, an Orthodox theologian and French psychologist provides a thoughtful and perceptive commentary to make the text even more relevant to our age through the lens of Jungian psychological development. His Gospel of Thomas is also wonderful.

Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle:Struggle for Authority by Ann Graham Brock- a look at the political division between competing early churches, how the Gospels were altered over time, how the canon of the Church was shaped and the ultimate effect on women’s place in the church. Thought provoking and disturbing.

Beloved Disciple: The Misunderstood Legacy of Mary Magdaleneby Robin Griffith- Jones—Written by an Anglican priest who offers a comprehensive treatment of the different sources friendly to the average reader

The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, Cynthia Bourgeault. Written by an Episcopalian priest and teacher of the contemplative tradition, this book reviews the Canonical and Gnostic scriptures as well as the legends in France with the perspective that Mary Magdalene was a spiritual teacher and intimate (though not necessarily sexual) companion of Jesus.

The New New Testament, edited by Hal Taussig is a new collection and translation of Early Christian writings, including both the Canonical Gospels and thought provoking and beautiful NonCanonical texts like the Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Thomas and Thunder Perfect Mind, which shed a new perspective on different ideas of Jesus in the first few centuries. Woman with the Alabaster Jar by Margaret Starbird is written by a former Catholic from the perspective that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had a child. A source which Dan Brown drew on for the DaVinci Code, it has been strongly criticized for some of its wild speculations. Nonetheless, the book has a devoted following who adore its “decoding” of art.

For further background on non-Canonical texts, the following is utterly indispensable:

The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels-- The first important work on the Nag Hammadi texts, this book by the renowned Princeton University scholar is still the best introduction to the topic.